The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1887-04-29

So he Logan in the evenings Of winter to teach
q school fos sacred music and thus every hour
was turned to account. Allan rcpined not
now, nay, at times he felt as If his blindness
were a blessing, for it forced him to trust TO
his own soul, to turn for comfGIt to the best
and purest human affections, and 10 SEQ God
always. NE
Whatever misgivings OF mind Allan Bruce
might have experienced fnintings
and sickcnings and deadly swoous Of despair
ight have overcome his heart il was no, long
before he was freedman frcm all their slavery.
He was not immured, like manS as worthy rs
lie, in an Asylum, he was not an incumbranco
upon poor father, sitting idle and in the way
Of others, beside an i'll fed fire aud scanty
board. lie was not forccI to pace, step by
step, along the lamp-lightcd stree. squares of
the city, forcing out, beautifully music 10 gain
few pieces Of coin from passers by, en-
tranced for a moment by sweet sounds. plain
tive or jocund. He was not boy-lcd bcgsar
along the highway, under the sickening sun
shine or the chilling elect, with an ahjsct hat
abjectly proiruded, with cold heart for
COlucT CHutlty, Uut He WdS-tiluOunH nc iutnDlY
felt and acknowledged that he was in nothing
moro worthy than thcse-a man loaded with
many blessings, warmed by n constant iasle,
laughed round by flock Of joyful children,
Iove-ighted by o wife who was to him at once
music and radiance, while his house stool in
the middle Of village, Of which all of the
inhabitants were his friends, and Of all whose
hands tho knock was known when it touched
his door, and of all whose voices the tone was
felt when it kindly acco,ted him in the wood,
in tho field, in the garden, by the rivers side,
by tho hospitable board of neiChbor, or in
the Church yard asssnblage before entering
into the House Of God.
Thus did years pass along Children were
born TO them, lived, were healthy md we'll be-
haved. blessing rested upon them and oil
that belonged to them, and the name Of "Blind
Allan" carried with it, far and near, an author
ity that could belong only to virtue, piety and
faith, tried by affliction, and found 10 stand
fast
Ten years ago, when they married, Allan
Bruce and Fanny Raenburn were among the
poorest Of the poor, and had it pleased God to
send sickness among them, hard would have
been their lot. But now they lived in a better
house. with larger garden and few fields,
with two cows Of their own. Allan hal work.
men nuder him, q basket maker now, on q con-
siderable SCALE and his wife had apprentices
too, the best dress maker in all the country
round. They were rich, their children were at
school, and oil things belonging both to outer
and inner life, had prospered to their hearts
desire. Allan could walk about many familiar
places uattended, but that seldom happened.
for while his children were at school, ho was
engaged in his business, and when they came
home, thsro was always loving contest among
them whe should be allowed to take hold of
their fathers hand when he went out on an
evening walk. Well did he know the tread of
each loving creatures footsteps, their very
breath when their voices were silent. One
touch Of the head as it danced past him, or
remained motionless by his side, one pres
sure Of an arm upon his knee, one laugh from
corner, was enough to tell him which of his
children was there, and in the most confused
noise and uerriment, his ear would have known
If one romping imp had been away. So per-
fectly accustomed had he long been to his situ-
alton, that it might almost be said that he was
unconscious Of being blind, or that he had for
gotten that his eyes once saw. Long hal Allan
Bruce indeed been the happiest of the blind.
1t CHANGED at this time, that among q party
who were visiting his straw manufactory, there
was surgeon celebrated for his skill in OPERA
tions upon the eye, who expressed an opinion
that Allan's sight might be at least partially
restored, and offered not only to perform the
operation, but Allen would have to reside for
some weeks in -, to see him every day till il
was known whether his case was or was NOT a
hopeless one. Allan's circumstances were now
such as 10 make a few weeks, or even month,
confinement, Of no Importance to him, and
though he said to his wife that he was ayerso
to submitting to an operation that might disturb
the long formed quiet and con,cntment of his
mind by hopes never to be realized. yet those
hopes of once mere seeing Heavens dear light,
gradually removed all his objections. Ills
eyes were couched, and when the band,ro,
were removed, and the soft broken light let in
upon him, Allaa Bruce was no longsr among
the number of the blind.
There was no uncomfortable burst of ioy in
tho soul of Allan Bruce when once more COM
municaton was opened between it and the 1.i-
BILE world for ho had learned lessons of humility
and temperance in all his emotion ms during ten
years Of blindness, in which the hope of light
was too faint to deserve ths name. lie wa.
almost afraid to believe that his sight wa, re.
stored. Grateful to him was its first uncertain
and wavering glimmsr as q draught of water to
n wretch in crowded dungeon. But no know
not whether it was to rpcn into the perfect day,
or gradually to fade back again into the depth
Of his former darkness.
But when his Fanny, sho on whom he had so